What medication class is typically used to relieve angina?

Nitrates are the medication class typically used to relieve angina because they work by dilating blood vessels, which increases blood flow to the heart muscle and decreases the heart's oxygen demand. This mechanism of action helps alleviate the chest pain associated with angina, especially during episodes triggered by physical exertion or stress. Nitrates can be administered in various forms, such as sublingual tablets, sprays, or transdermal patches, allowing for quick relief of symptoms.

While beta-blockers also play a role in managing angina by decreasing heart rate and contractility, making the heart work more efficiently, they are more often used for long-term management rather than immediate relief. ACE inhibitors primarily help manage blood pressure and heart failure, which may be relevant in patients with underlying cardiac conditions but are not direct treatments for angina. Statins are cholesterol-lowering medications that help in the prevention of cardiovascular disease but do not directly address angina symptoms. Thus, the use of nitrates specifically targets the acute symptoms of angina effectively.